I believe you mean a gun to carry in a bag while you are in swim trunks. Am I correct?

I keep my J frame S&W in an otterbox in my bag, along with my keys and ID in this box. I don't leave it's side. If I went in the water it could come with me, because I have taken the box into the pool and it floats/100% waterproof.

What I am talking about is an BUG on myself for when I lay on the beach, something small or big, I could put at 4 o clock, maybe a RIA 1911? dunno. I like something smaller though..

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Has Taurus really spent more on shipping customers their firearms back to them than actual sales?

I worked a beach detail one summer.... well for part of the summer... Know what people do at the beach?... loose things. Know what criminals at the beach do?.... Rifle through people bags, and picnic baskets... steal mostly money, alcohol, and car keys. Never saw one armed robbery during daylight hrs... Have however seen a missing/lost off duty revolver. Guy was swimming... came back and found wallet, shield, ID card, gun, and money gone. Left Teen age kids watching their stuff... The sammiches and soda's was safe.

You already carry TWO guns to the beach and need another?
If that is so, time to find a different beach.
The only time I carry on the beach is when I am walking early AM, or late PM, and it is for that stray dog you run into now and again.

No, looking to carry soemthing else on me besides the little 380 I have, I like 9mm or larger, I keep my BUG in the bag which doesn't leave me. If I go in the water (which I will not were I live because its so nasty) I would just take the smallest I have and put it in my waterproof box and keep it on me w/ keys/id.

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Has Taurus really spent more on shipping customers their firearms back to them than actual sales?

S&W SD9VE with 20$ trigger kit from Apex?Cz-82?Taurus revolver?....Would a 1895 Nagant revolver work? You could have it an some ammo for a few hundred,and spend the leftover money on a new speedo....Just a few thoughts from a guy who dont know much

Why do you need a gun at the beach? Someone kicks sand in your face?... On a deserted beach, maybe at night?.... I'd be more concerned that my gun was well secured in my car.

In the late 1970s I carried all kinds of guns on the beach all the time; M16A1s, M60s, 1911A1. I have on good word that the Marines before me carried Springfield 03s, Garands on beachs. According to the 1940s Imperial Japanese Navy Land Forces, those U.S. Marine Corps Rifles worked real well, including at night. Even the U.S. Army was in the act. Go figure. And now for an update:

The beaches from The Golden Gate Bridge south to Monterey County, California, apprx. 75 mile stretch, are home to multiple rapes and robberies every year. LE can't really say how many murders take place on the beach, but numerous murder victims are at least dumped their annually.

If the beach Park Ranger has both an AR-15 and a 12 gauge pump in the cab of his 4X4 then it's time to pack an extra reload along with those chips.

A hammerless revolver would work well being shot out of a ziplock, as would any SA stored in one and removed before using it. That would eliminate the sand in the Glock issue too, nor would sand be an issue if the gun were kept in your otterbox.

However, I just can't bring myself to support the off person carry concept, too many bad scenarios and the term "irresponsible" easily come to mind. Gotta find a way to keep it on you, lock it in the car, or find a new past time.

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.44 Special: For those who get it, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, no explanation is possible.

I have been to beaches all over the US, Carib and other places, and have never been where the water is nasty and the beach that dangerous

Where is this place?

I am a small guy adn can be overpowered by one most people, my gun stays with me pretty much 24/7 and the beach isn't a place that's off limits, and I do not limit myself unless a law forbids it. That beach isn't "dangerous" but there could be evil people there, thats why we carry guns everyday, we don't know when we will need it.

Also I usually wear a SPF shirt so I can wear IWB holster.

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Has Taurus really spent more on shipping customers their firearms back to them than actual sales?

If a beach had numerous rapes, armed robbery's, and murders.... Why go there?

The beach is the one place where everyone is pretty much bareing it all. Really hard to conciel. Someone please explain to me how carrying a gun at the beach, in the sand, by the water is practical. As a can of pepper spray would be a lot more practical, reasonable, and a lot less expensive. Many more guns get lost at the beach than are ever used in self defense. I'd dare anyone to check with their own beach patrol or police agancy having jurusdiction at the local beach. A beach patrol armed with a handgun, A/R, and a shotgun most probably has very little to do with need. Most probably funding that must be spent or lost.

There are and always will be little guys, and big guys... very very rare is the instance when a firearm can be legally used to make up the difference. I think the beach is one situation when one should consider soloutions other than deadly force. Is fomeone opened fire on a crowded beach they may be open to criminal charges based on recklesness.

I carry my guns on me, and not in the car were it could be broken into and criminal hands use it on someone. No one is taking my guns, you guys are acting like my guns are going to magicially get lost at the beach/fall off of me? Seriously?............ I wear a shirt so I can still conceal it, or if I take my shirt off I can keep it in my pocket/smart carry.

I just was asking for a good gun under $350 that can handle some sand/abuse, and I get comments that say WHY CARRY AT THE BEACH. I might want to walk down to the ice cream shop and grab one before I head home.

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If a beach had numerous rapes, armed robbery's, and murders

Who ever said that? Any place you go can be dangerous, criminals go to the beach too.

Glenn Dee makes has some points why you shouldn't CCW at impractical locations.

Quote:

Someone please explain to me how carrying a gun at the beach, in the sand, by the water is practical.

How soon we forget about Tarawa & Iwo Jima. Those fights took part on the beach. And near the water too. I'd say those M1 Garands & 1911s had a practical use. Should I have to expain to you why I want to exercise any of my other rights? Or is it just about guns for now?

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As a can of pepper spray would be a lot more practical, reasonable…

So who need to pack a snub .38 Special when pepper spray is at hand?

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A beach patrol armed with a handgun, A/R, and a shotgun most probably has very little to do with need

The Los Angeles City Council felt the same way about their officers having the option to carry AR-15s. Say Hello to the two creeps at the North Hollywood Bank Robbery.

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rare is the instance when a firearm can be legally used to make up the difference.

I guesss you are right, Mr. Glenn Dee. But you are going to have tell America's CCW ers to turn them in; not me.

I think your taking my opinions out of context, and drawing a totally incorrect conclusion.

You mention several wartime beach landings. This discusion isnt about a wartime situation. But since you bring it up... There firearms werent carried concieled. They were openly carried. The individuals carrying then had no choice but to be armed as they were engaged in an invasion. Not to forget Anzio, Juno, Omaha beaches as well... Then in Koria.. well I think you get my point. Military weapons are manufactured to have military tolerances, and they are cleaned and lubricated often... (Though they dont show that part in the movies)

I stand by my opinion that a can of pepper spray would be more practical. I base it on my own experiences from working at a pulic beach. Other than having sand kicked in your face, or a few sandwiches stolen how much of a real danger are you in at the beach? Just for arguments sake... Lets say you are set upon by some miscreant... At a crowded beach... is that the place to open fire and shoot him till he's down?... Or do you think that could be considered reckless? Even at an uncrowded beach?

I dont know if the City Councel of L/A was the ones to decide if the Officers need patrol rifles or not. I agree that it was a poor decision. Remember That shootout was an event that would have been almost impossible to predict. I agree that if the Officers had patrol rifles the end may have come sooner. I wasnt there so I cant/wont comment on the handling of the incident. anyway it didnt happen at the beach. But urban big city police is a different job than a beach patrol. Could something happen that would require the beach patrol to need a rifle? Sure... there could be an invasion at that beach, or a gang of thugs open fire at their target while he's at the beach... It could happen. If we prepare for any, and every imagined possibility were not going to enjoy the beach very much, or any recreation for that matter.

The last quote was taken totally out of context. Rare is the incident where a different in size justifies the use of deadly force. And thats just the way it is... like it or not.Some may quote the new buzz phrase (DISPARITY OF FORCE) Good luck with that one... It's an accepted self defense theory.

As your post suggests I'm for denying a persons right to carry where ever they want. Nothing could be further from the truth, or further from my personal belief. I am however suggesting that there are times when carrying a firearm is not practical. There are times when carrying a firearm may be more trouble than it's worth.

The O/P was asking for suggestions in choosing an inexpensive gun to take with him to the beach. My recomendation is a can of pepper spray. Excuse me warning shot, but I tend to try and qualify my answers. That is all.

Don't do to many beach vacations anymore, prefer the mountains as I have gotten older. But once in a while the wife likes to visit Sanibel Island off the coast of Ft. Myers Florida. Beach sand and salt water spray can wreck havoc on the functionality of the mechanics of anything, cameras, radios, fishing equipment or firearms. I don't normally carry at the beach except (like an earlier poster) in the evening or early morning. Sunrise or sunset strolls are always nice down there. If I lived down there and carried concealed frequently at the beach, I would chose either a Charter Arms, or Taurus 5 shot snub nosed revolver. Relatively inexpensive, and reliable. If the OP is the type that just sits under a sun umbrella and relaxes, I see no problem having a firearm at the beach. But I would strongly advise against leaving a firearm in a beach bag, while you're out swimming or engaged in other activities away from your belongings. The theft of unattended belongings (as noted by others) is the biggest crime problem at most public beach areas.

I 100% disagree with Sport's remarks.
"Good" shootings are decided by criminal investigators, prosecutors, judges, juries, and to a lesser extent the local media. Like it or not. And, oh, by the way, some sworn LE officers or media reporters or prosecutors may be unethical. Believe me. It's what criminal defense lawyers & court observers call; "testilying".
That doesn't include any civil or wrongful death actions. I'd suggest learning about Fish vs AZ or reviewing some of Massad Ayoob's articles about firearms/lethal force events. Mr Ayoob also has a recorded speeches on www.youtube.com .
You should get the best weapon you can afford(ideally a DA only system that's a LE agency trade-in or same type). Ayoob suggests carrying the same model or brand as the local LE agency if possible. The same goes for carry ammunition. Don't use reloads or hand-loads. Ranger-T, DPX, Speer-Gold Dot, and Hornady's new Critical Duty rounds are well engineered. A lawyer or prosecutor would look foolish trying to explain to a jury how your ammunition choice was wrong or reckless if the local PD uses the exact same brand.
I saw a few Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept trade-in 92FS 9x19mm pistols on www.gunsamerica.com . I also saw a few decent P89s & P94s around $350.00.

I guesss you are right, Mr. Glenn Dee. But you are going to have tell America's CCW ers to turn them in; not me.

Well...I see we've gotten just a wee bit off target. Glenn, I certainly don't think you should have to be the bearer of this bad news. Gosh, I was going to agree with you on the "pepper spray" for the beach. Certainly more concealable in a speedo. Perhaps.

God I love these threads, literally from Iwo Jima to San Padre Island in a nanosecond.

Alright...Born and raised in Miami Florida. What have I used for this carry personally?

SIG P226, Glock 19, 17, 27, 26.

All were fine. Don't worry too much about it. The sand on a beach is usually not as fine as the sand in the middle east. That's like baby powder, and no matter where it's stuffed you have sand IN your gun.

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